Fostering
Retaining foster carers
Key findings
Experienced carers are valuable and satisfied carers will attract new ones.
Foster carers can find themselves de-motivated if they are in a difficult situation. For instance, if a placement breaks down and the child leaves, the carer may take the opportunity to stop fostering altogether.
When 'spot purchasing’ (purchasing individual placements) was undertaken by the fieldwork service with responsibility for the child, the service was seen as less responsive to foster carers’ needs, because payments were often late or incorrect. At the same time purchaser/provider systems for managing the budget did seem to produce greater flexibility and budget awareness.
What keeps foster carers fostering
- training, support and the chance to meet and get support from other foster carers
- being treated as a member of the team and the opportunity to work with social workers.
- adequate information about the child
- good out of hours and general support, including access to specialist help and advice
- guaranteed respite
- good levels of remuneration, and realistic and well-managed payment systems, which ensure that they get paid on time - many local authorities have developed payments for skills schemes
- Carers who feel supported whether by social workers, their family, including their children, and friends, are more likely to provide successful placements.
Information technology has also helped developments that support foster carers.
SCIE Knowledge Review 4 (1) found evidence of local authority specialist and mainstream fostering schemes providing foster carers with key supports, using methods in line with those recognised by research.
Practice points
- Ask yourself how you can set up payment systems capable of making prompt and regular payments to foster carers.
- Ask yourself if you and your agency provide the type and level of support that will retain carers, and encourages them to introduce their friends, family, and other contacts into fostering.
- Think about ways in which carers and their networks can be supported, particularly at stressful times. Support can come from family, including the carers’ own children, and friends, as well as the agency. When carers experience stressful situations, they need a support network, so think of ways in which you can help them access extra time, discussion, and support.
What we know from research
A 1997 study (91) showed that, when 'spot purchasing’ (purchasing individual placements) was undertaken by the fieldwork service with responsibility for the child, the service was seen as less responsive to foster carers’ needs because payments were often late or incorrect. At the same time purchaser / provider systems for managing the budget did seem to produce greater flexibility and budget awareness.
What keeps foster carers fostering (28), (36), (83), (94), (97).
There is research evidence that the number of carers who leave is quite low; about 10 per cent a year or less. Nevertheless, more can always be done to retain foster carers. Experienced carers are particularly valuable and satisfied carers will attract new ones.
- training, support and the chance to meet and get support from other foster carers
- being treated as a member of the team and the opportunity to work with social workers
- adequate information about the child
- good out of hours support and general support, including access to specialist help and advice
- guaranteed respite
- good levels of remuneration, and realistic and well-managed payment systems, which ensure that they get paid on time.
Carers who feel unsupported are more likely to feel under strain and difficulties with a child can increase as a result. This perception of a lack of support, and criticism of the type of support they get, can allow a downward spiral to develop.
Carers who feel supported by social workers, and their family - including their children and friends - are more likely to provide successful placements and to be considered by social workers to show warmth and to meet the needs of the children in their care.
Foster carers can find themselves de-motivated if they are in a difficult situation. For instance, if a placement breaks down and the child leaves, the carer may take the opportunity to stop fostering. Other stressful events such as allegations of abuse, tensions between the foster carers and the birth family, disputes with the local authority and other placement breakdowns not handled effectively can also have foster carers heading for the door.
Findings from SCIE Knowledge Review 4 (1) found evidence of local authority specialist and mainstream fostering schemes providing foster carers with key support methods in line with those recognised as effective in the research.
Information technology has also helped developments in foster carer support, and the TUNNEL LIGHT project in Lincolnshire, (see User evaluation: Ideas from practice).
Many local authorities have developed payment for skills schemes. These require that foster carers demonstrate relevant childcare and other skills, usually by obtaining an NVQ. Having done so they are entitled to payment at a higher level.